SOCIAL NET-WORKING
It has, always, been fashionable to talk about the virtues of ‘net-working’. Yes, our ‘Social net-working’.
We know Social net-working helps us to ‘grow’… socially, intellectually,
financially and even spiritually. Most of us have some of these reasons for
joining various social circles - Clubs, Gymkhanas, Associations, Religious
groups, and even Charity organizations…
Out there, we meet people from different back grounds – different
interests, talents, and even cultures… and, we hope to learn from these people,
share ideas, contacts, and grow from mutual benefits…
Definitely, it is the best way to expand our ‘circles of influence’, if I
should borrow the famous catch-line of late Dr. Stephen R. Covey.
So far so good.
But, what is interesting is this: Imagine four people meet at a Club or
Gymkhana… each having in his mind his own agenda: how to ‘expand’… how to ‘grow…by
net-working with others. So much so, each one is there to push his own agenda. If
you happened to be one of these four, what invariably happens is: you either end
up using others for your personal goals or you end up getting used by others
for theirs!
Thus, a Gymkhana , a Golf Club, a Charity or even a Satsang
becomes just another place to push your personal contacts, to expand your
business…
I am only referring to the flip side of the story… and dare not to generalize!
Because, all of us do not join Gymkhanas or Clubs to promote our respective
businesses…
Nor do all of us go to temples, churches and satsangs to discuss business…
No, Rotary and Lions are not about ‘business’ alone…
For most of us, joining a Charity organization is only for that – to do
charity. Not business…
Meeting a stranger – fortunately and gracefully - is not to discuss passionately about our ‘satgurus’
and their organizations… yes, not to recruit one more prospect, one more disciple…
Our personal agenda becomes the spoilsport! It ruins the charm of our
social interactions… and, yes, all this under the cover of that fashionable catch-phrase:
‘Social Net-working’!
This
morning, a man came to meet me. We were meeting after more than twenty-five
years. He had come with a lady… and, they had come to talk about their
religious group, their Guru… the wonderful work they were doing… They wanted to
hold a ‘free awareness-workshop’ for my students… tell them about a stress-free
life, about peace, about values and so on.
It was a good cause. I am, regularly, approached by various people with
such noble ideas and plans… But, what was spoiling, once again, was this: the
man, who was meeting me after over twenty-five years, was not at all making me
feel how delighted he was to meet me… No, it wasn’t important to him at all… He
had come with his single-minded agenda: to promote his Guru and their
organization!
I was not interested in what he had come with!
What is the big deal when the man next to you
is not important to you…
and
you want to conquer the whole world
out there…
Sorry my friend…
There was a gang of four thieves. One night, they broke
into a wealthy man’s house and robbed him of his money and ornaments. But, the
man woke up and tried to nab the robbers… But, they were agile enough to escape
with the loot… into the nearby jungle.
After a couple of days, the robbers, who were
hiding in the jungle, were unable to control their hunger. So, they persuaded
two of them to slip into the city to check if it was safe for all of them to
return… and, they were also supposed to fetch food for the other two.
The two robbers cautiously walked into the
city. To their pleasant surprise, they found that everything was normal and
safe. So, they walked into a hotel and ate to their hearts’ content. Then, a
mean thought crossed their mind: “Why can’t we two get rid off the other two
and take all the loot home?”
It was one helluva idea!
So, these two robbers happily bought some
food for their other two friends, mixed it well with some poison, and went back
to the forest!
And, back in the forest, the other two
robbers had already made another sinister plan. “Why can’t we get rid off those
two fools,” they had asked each other, “and take all the treasure for ourselves?”
Yes, the two robbers waited impatiently for
their friends to come back with food. And, the moment the two from the city landed,
the waiting robbers struck them with sharp knives and killed them!
After that, the two robbers happily sat down to
eat the food brought for them by their two friends…
You know what happened after that!
Social net-working is one helluva idea… Yes.
But, we know what our ‘agendas’ are… What our ‘plans’ are… whenever we
meet up!
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pics.: Manoj Nair
Comments
- Uma